


Healing The Hurt

by Feelsjpeg



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, Twilight Series - All Media Types, Twilight Series - Stephenie Meyer
Genre: Anxiety, Depression, Friendship, Healing, Imprinting, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-22
Updated: 2017-04-22
Packaged: 2018-10-22 15:16:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 19,348
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10699656
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Feelsjpeg/pseuds/Feelsjpeg
Summary: Percy isn't himself anymore. Two wars have worn on him, maturing him in a way no teenager should be. Both Sally and Paul agree, and without much of a fight Percy packs his things to recover with relatives who he hasn't seen in years.~~~Bella is surprised to hear that her distant cousin would abruptly be moving in with her and switching to her school. She's even more surprised though when she sees him again. He has definitely grown, but something seems off. He appears tired, and haggard like he had become 40 overnight. Will Bella be able to help Percy, unbeknownst to what he's been through?





	1. Chapter 1

Percy

3,029 miles. That's how far I was moving away. My mom and I had talked at length about it, her and Paul agreeing it would be best for me. After the second war, I wasn't the same. No matter how much I tried to convince myself that I was, even I could tell. After much worrying and sleepless nights, the Apollo cabin had me diagnosed with depression and post-traumatic stress disorder, which I just piled onto the long list of 'things wrong with Percy'. Mom thought that moving to a smaller town would help me, to get away from the stress of the demigod life and to try and heal.

I didn't make it out of the wars unscathed, none of the surviving demigods did. The older campers were quick to go on guard and late to falling asleep. We were still able to find happiness in capture the flag and activities, because damnit we won, but it wasn't the same as before. There was a heavy sobriety in the air at Camp Half-Blood, and Mom thought that escaping from it for a while would help me get better. No matter how scared I felt, I knew she was right and I agreed to try.

So there I was, packing a backpack with my belongings and hoping that moving in with my mom's half brother wouldn't be the worst thing in the world. My mom hadn't seen him in twelve years, back when I was five. After I came home from the war she reconnected with him, asking if I could go live with him and his daughter in Forks, Washington. Charlie agreed, and I was set to move in a few weeks later. After finding out I had talked to Annabeth, because I knew it would be as hard on her as it was on me. She was the only one who could comprehend what had happened in hell, having witnessed it first hand. She was the only one who understood what it was like to wake up screaming in the dead of night, or to go on alert every time someone touched your shoulder - and now I had to leave her. She was my best friend, my oldest ally. We had broken up after the war, finding we were unable to continue a romantic relationship the same as before. We were both changed by the war, and were able to better support each other as friends. She understood why my mom wanted me to go, and she agreed with Sally, but that didn't make it hurt any less. We had said our goodbyes last night, leaving today for me to pack up and leave.

Mom drove me down to the bus terminal, and her and Paul had tears in their eyes as I got on the greyhound. Admittedly, I did too. I settled into the seat, preparing for a three day bus ride.

\- - -

Three days and six stiff hours later, I got off the bus at the Forks bus terminal. I had taken the bus to avoid getting shot out of the sky, but that didn't make the the ride any less painful on my ADHD brain. Grabbing my backpack, I searched for Charlie, my memory of him frustratingly dim. I spotted a man in an officer's uniform a little ways away, and hoped it was him.

I approached, nervously asking, "Charlie Swan?" The man turned to me, a small smile breaking across his Sally-like features and grabbing for my hand.

"Percy? Holy kid, you've grown." He chuckled, shaking hands with me. I gave a small smile, and we left the terminal for his police cruiser which he had driven straight from work in. The ride lasted about fifteen minutes, occasional conversation drifting between us. We pulled into the drive, headlights cutting through the now heavy rain. I was able to make out a white house with grey shingles, and a woman sitting at a table in the kitchen.

Charlie and I left the car quickly, and I relished in the energy that the fat droplets granted me. I let the water seep into me, revitalizing my tired mind and creating puddles in my shoes. Charlie hurried up to the house, and I followed.

Inside was warm and inviting, just like home. It wasn't fancy or lavish, but simple and quaint which made me feel comfortable. I slid my river-filled shoes off, lining them up to the wall the way mom taught me to at home. I shrugged off my rain soaked hoodie, and a young woman entered as I hung it. She had long brown hair, similar to Charlie's, and ivory skin that boasted rosy cheeks. Her face was thin and long, and unlike her skin, her eyes were a rich umber. She gave me a small, awkward smile - just like Charlie had. She then spoke quietly, in a tone of reminiscence.

"Hey Percy... It's been a while." I nodded, and returned my own small smile.

"Hey Bells."

\- - -

Bella

Percy helped me make dinner, him making the spaghetti sauce and I the pasta. He was very different from the cousin I remembered, but I guess twelve years of time will do that to a person. I had expected him to be just as hyperactive and inviting as always, as well as half a foot shorter and a lot more scrawny. My expectations were proved wrong when a 6'3, muscular man came through the door, his reservation in full swing. I was even more alarmed when he offered to make dinner, as I thought he didn't know how to make even pancakes. He was completely different from all my memories, and apparently Charlie felt the same.

We ate quietly, and Percy ducked his head when I complimented the sauce. He only ate half, which was unexpected. It seemed as though Percy was as quiet as both Charlie and I, and we all enjoyed the silence that followed through dinner.

When we finished Percy insisted he clean up, and I let him, because it seemed to make him more comfortable. Percy was sleeping on the couch tonight, until we renovated the guest room, so he grabbed some blankets and we all headed for bed. I felt a sense of peace wash over me and hoped that Percy felt the same. Later that night I found out just how false those hopes were.


	2. Night Terrors

Charlie

I woke up terrified, my mind on high alert. There was an awful, blood curdling series of screams coming from down stairs. I rushed down in a panic, only to find Bella trying to wake Percy. He was writhing on the floor, I guessed he had fallen from the couch, and guttural screams tore from his throat. Through the screaming I was able to make out a few words, such as 'Annabeth' and his begging protests.

Bella was shaking him, fear evident on her face. I ran to the kitchen, pouring a glass of water and running back to dump on Percy. I did, and he immediately stopped and slowly woke up. He sat up, slightly groaning and opening his eyes. He looked disoriented, and shaken like a tree in a storm. He was looking around, and his hand crept to his pocket. Bella laid a hand on his crossed knee, and he flinched violently. He seemed to regain his bearings, his eyes coming back into focus. He let his head fall, hands covering his face in shame. Bella nodded to me, and I left back upstairs to bed.

Bella

Charlie left, and I sat down beside Percy. We sat in silence, him still recovering from his night terror and I waiting patiently.

"I'm so sorry Bella," he whispered quietly. "Why are you sorry?" I whispered back. He shook his head, trying to hold back tears.  
"For coming here, for dumping myself on you, for waking you up ... just ... intruding on your life," he said sadly. I slowly pulled him into a hug so he would expect it, and we rocked back and forth while he cried. Tears escaped my eyes too, and I couldn't imagine letting go.

We whispered into the early morning, mostly me talking about my life to help him stay calm. I told him about my school, about each of the Cullen's personalities, about La Push. I knew that sometimes, having someone who was willing to talk with no response was the most comforting thing. I remembered when I had fallen into a depression when Edward left, and just listening to Jessica talk helped me feel a little more stable, a little more there. I hoped that I could help Percy the same way.

\- - -

The sun was coming up when Percy and I were still sitting beside each other on the floor. I helped him get up, brewing some coffee in the french press while he sat at the table, looking out the window. I felt closer to Percy now, after I had shared so much with him, and he had trusted me enough to do the same. He may not have talked about himself or his life, but letting me sit with him and letting himself get taken care of were really important non-verbal cues. Maybe having my cousin around would be really good for the both of us.

Charlie entered the kitchen tiredly, shuffling towards the cup of coffee I had just poured. He sipped it, eyes opening a little more, and brain focusing enough to say a quiet good morning to Percy and I. I gave one back, but Percy was still looking out the window lost in his thoughts. We hadn't talked about last night's events, and I inferred that he didn't want a recount. He looked rough, eyes tinged red and skin left slightly pale. I was positive I didn't look any better.

School would be starting again in two weeks, August coming to an end and September closing in. Sally had enrolled Percy in Forks High, and I hoped two weeks was enough time to get at least a little situated. I didn't know how well Percy would fare in Forks, as it was a completely different environment to the hustle and bustle of New York City.

Percy was back to the world of the living and helping to make pancakes. His kind didn't seem gully present, but I was glad he was trying. We are the pancakes quietly, and Percy had returned by the end of the meal. He gave me one of his small smiles, the kind that told me he was making an effort, and cleaned up. Charlie left for work, and I let Percy shower first.

\- - -

I decided to take Percy over to La Push, since Sally mentioned how much he loved swimming. I knew it would make the Cullen's worry, but if I could get Percy to smile then so be it. We drove over in my truck, and Percy commented on how well it ran for its age. We made very small talk on the drive, and I discovered that Percy was the captain of the swim team at his old school.

I pulled up to the beach, hopping out. It was warm out, the late August sun sinking into my skin. Percy turned to the sun, drinking it in like a sunflower might. He had on swim trunks and a hoodie, a tee hidden beneath.

We walked down to the surf, hopping over driftwood and rocks. I sat down on a rock, basking in the light. Percy left his sweater with me, opting to swim in his tee. I sat on the sand and watched him relax into the water, doing a back float on the now calm waves. He bobbed under the surface, appearing every now and then.

The sun was sinking by the time we left the beach, and Percy seemed a lot more at peace. Unlike on the drive there, he wasn't lost in thought and glassy-eyed, but listening to the radio and initiating in small conversation. 

We made it home before dark, continuing our meal routine of cooking and cleanup. Charlie would be home late so we saved him some, departing for bed.

By some small miracle, Percy slept soundly through the night, and I thought that maybe, just maybe, he was starting to finally heal.


	3. Home of the Spartans

Percy

School was fast approaching, and I didn't feel quite ready. Bella and I had spent my two weeks here together, leaving the house infrequently and growing more familiar with each other. My night terrors happened most nights, so peaceful sleep was a godsend to everyone in the house. I felt horrible for keeping the Swans awake all the time, but they wouldn't hear of my apologies. I was still struggling, my depression creeping on my mind and settling on my brain. But I found that listening to Bella talk about when Edward left helped, knowing that she understood how I felt.

I missed Annabeth like crazy, craving her companionship - no matter how amazing of a cousin Bella was, she wasn't Annabeth. She hadn't fought through two wars and hell with me, no matter how much she was there for me. I also missed my parents, the smell of my mother's perfume and the way Paul laughed. It was difficult, but I knew if I left now I would miss the Swans too. Bella was the only friend I had, and she often sat with me, and even though we didn't speak it helped. Charlie tried his hardest, but he was a little lost on what to do. I couldn't blame him.

Tomorrow would be my first day, and Bella insisted it wouldn't be as bad as I thought. I still hadn't met her boyfriend, Edward, although we talked about him a lot. She said that she wouldn't leave me alone tomorrow, so I would be meeting her boyfriend and his siblings over lunch. It terrified me a little, the idea of meeting five of Bella's friends in one sitting. I sighed, rolling over in my bed and yearning for sleep.

Charlie and I had redone the study for me to move into a few days after I moved in, and I now had the quaint room to call my own. The walls were a deep pine colour and the floors oak, and although it didn't match my personality I loved it. It was small and slightly dusty, but it had a beautiful window seat where I liked to watch out the forest. I rolled over again, willing myself to sleep - Sleep I did not.

\- - -

I had less extreme night terrors all the way into the wee hours of the morning, and got about four hours of blessed sleep. Bella and I took turns showering and using the bathroom, making the best of having one bathroom. We ate breakfast together, and I couldn't eat the majority of mine due to nerves. Soon enough it was time to leave, and Bella drove me in her truck. The sunshine had left this morning, instead letting a slight rain take over the sky.

\- - -

Bella walked me to the front office, where I would be getting my schedule and map. The office was cold, air conditioning still running from the previous heat wave. I burrowed deeper into my sweater while Bella got my papers for me. We left quickly, and the rain seemed warmer than the frigid office. I missed the sun, but I was beginning to enjoy the surge of energy I was granted every time I stepped outside. 

People stared, their eyes following us into the building and all the way to my locker. The administration seemed to be totally against us, because Bella's locker was on the other side of the school and we only shared two classes. We shared first period math and last period gym, but I was left to fend for myself in second and third period. Bella had read my schedule out loud to me, discovering in my first two weeks my dyslexia. I was thankful I had Bella to coach me through this, because Forks Highschool was very different from any other school I'd been to. They rarely had newcomers, and Bella helping me around was quite the spectacle. She read things to me and showed me around, taking me to our shared math class. 

We snagged seats in the middle, her desk to the left of me and an empty to my right. The class began to fill as Bella and I were talking, and a boy with blonde hair sat in the empty desk. He turned to Bella and I, smiling a bit tightly.

"Bella! How was your summer?" Blondie asked, slightly ignoring me.

"It was good Mike, I spent some time visiting my mom in July and helping Percy move in during the end of August," Bella replied, indicating to me. I gave a small wave, barely introducing myself before ducking my head and wishing he wasn't looking at me. They carried on small conversation before class started. Math was extremely boring, and thankfully the teacher didn't make me introduce myself. That didn't stop the whispers and eyes on the back of my head though. Bella helped me through the lesson, and promised to tutor me at home. But even with Bella's coaching I felt a little lost, ADHD pulling me from the lesson and to the whispers around the room. I felt alert, my mind picking up on small details and my knee unknowingly running a marathon. When the bell rang I bolted from my seat, accidentally ditching Bella and heading for english. 

The english teacher wasn't as merciful as the math one, and I awkwardly introduced myself while giving something halfway between a smile and a grimace. She told me to go sit near Jessica, who waved at me enthusiastically. I did, and was glad to hear that we'd be starting the year with a unit on Greek mythology - which just so happened to be my reality. The class discussed the heroes of ancient Greece, and attention suddenly fell on me when the teacher asked my full name. I mumbled a little, hoping to be ignored, but no such luck. She asked again, and I answered properly.

"My name is Perseus ma'am, after the Son of Zeus." She wasn't satisfied, digging deeper.

"Why Perseus? I mean, what significance does it have to your family?"

"My mother named me after him because he was the only hero with a happy ending, and because my father's side of the family is Greek." I gave a bit more boldly. She nodded, and decided to test me.

"And do you know his story? What made it a happy ending?"

"Well, Perseus was forced by Polydectes to fetch Medusa's head in order for him to leave his mother - Danae - alone. The goddess Athena helped him out, giving him equipment to solve her vendetta against the gorgon Medusa. Using a sword provided by Hermes, Perseus was able to chop of the sleeping gorgon's head and ride away on a Pegasus. After his heroic quest he was able to live out his days in Seriphos in peace with his mother." The teacher gave me a nod of appreciation, and resumed the lesson. I sank low in my seat, unappreciative of the increased whispers around me. 

"Hey Percy, I was wondering if you wanted to sit with me at lunch? It'll be you, me, some of my other friends?" Jessica asked, eyes hopeful. I turned to her, giving a small smile back.

"I would really love to but I promised I'd sit with my cousin, how about tomorrow?" I replied. She seemed a little deflated, but agreed to lunch tomorrow. The class ended, and Jess and I departed ways for lunch.


	4. Meeting the Boyfriend

Percy

I wandered around after english, having missed the cafeteria on my morning tour with Bella. I took a left, then another left, and a right - and became hopelessly lost. I was near the auto shop, and the distinct smell of weed was drifting from the exit doors to my right. I opted to go left. I could feel myself curling into my sweater a little, anxiety muddling my brain. 

"Are you lost?" 

A high voice came from behind me, sounding pleasant and innocent. I turned, on guard, to find a girl looking at me. She had black pixie hair and amber eyes, only adding effect to her ballerina stature. She gave me a huge smile, perfect white teeth revealing themselves. That's when I remembered I was supposed to respond. 

"Uh, yeah - a little. Could you help me find the cafeteria?" I still felt guarded, but embarrassment seeped into my tone, and my sweater suddenly seemed like a really nice place to live. She nodded, introducing herself as Alice and tugging me along. We came to the cafeteria after a couple turns here and there, and she tugged me over to her table. Bella was seated there, angrily looking at her phone. As we walked up I was able to catch Bella's frustrated tone. 

"I can't believe I forgot to get Charlie to give me his number! He's probably lost right now and I don't have his freakin' number." 

"Bells, you can't have my number if I don't have a phone." I responded, causing Bella's head to snap up in my direction. She looked relieved, and then confused - but she was interrupted by a black-haired body builder.

"You don't have a cellphone?" He asked incredulously. I nodded with a small 'yup' before plopping down next to Bella. I let my head rest on the table, muttering in greek out of annoyance. I was cursing myself for getting lost and the english teacher for drawing attention to me when a devastatingly beautiful blonde interrupted - seemingly a common theme for Bella's company. 

"What are you saying?"

"Oh, it's nothing - I was just saying how stupid I was for getting lost." She still seemed thrown, and I inwardly cursed for speaking Greek. Bella saved me, giving introductions of everyone. Blondie was Rosalie, Body Boy Emmett, Pixie chick was Alice and her boyfriend pain face was Jasper. That left teen vogue to be Edward, Bella's boyfriend. They were all abnormally pale, and had eyes varying shades of amber and gold. All but Alice and Emmett seemed unnerved by my presence, and they continued to ask me questions.

"So Percy, how do you know Bella?" Alice asked a little too innocently.

"We're cousins on her Dad's side, my mom is Charlie's half sister." I replied, anxious for where the conversation would be going. 

"I didn't know Charlie had a sister, where did you and your parents move from?" Emmett inquired, taking his turn.

"It was only me that moved, I lived in the upper east side of New York with my mom and step-dad Paul." I said, which of course, started another torrent of questions.

"Why was it only you that moved?" Jasper asked, finally looking a little less pained. His question sent alarms off in my head, and my anxiety climbed at the sudden undivided attention. I tugged at my sleeves, rubbing the soft fabric between my clammy hands and willed my heart rate to decrease. Sensing my distress, Bella answered for me while gently massaging my hand under the table. 

"Percy had a really rough time in New York, so Sally thought moving to a small town would give Percy some breathing room. He moved in with Charlie and I two weeks ago." Bella said, slightly glancing at me. I gave her my tiny smile, which she returned and let go of my hand. I was thankful I had her around, because their probing questions had almost led to a flashback. The Cullen's seemed to sense that enough was enough, changing the topic to football. Emmett carried most of the conversation, Rosalie sharing her input with small giggles. I relaxed at the small social break I was granted, but Jasper wasn't done.

"Do you play any sports Percy?" He inquired. I took a second to steel my nerves and breathe. 

"Aside from swimming, only swordplay, but I doubt that counts." I responded with a forced chuckle and small smirk. 

"Swordplay? How did you get interested in that?" Edward asked lightly, in a way that seemed less invasive and more curious. I began to relax, the conversation steering towards something I could play off and joke about. 

"It's family tradition, my Dad's side is really in touch with their Greek heritage. All my cousins are trained in either swordplay or archery, and we all speak Greek as our first language." I gave, looking mostly at Edward and Bella. Alice smiled at me, exclaiming how cool that was and my cheeks flushed at the attention. 

"πιρούνια έχει μια ομάδα κολύμβησης αν σας ενδιαφέρει ; " Edward asked. (Forks has a swim team, if you're interested?) 

"Ίσως , ξέρεις , όταν προσπαθείτε έξω είναι ;" I replied. (Maybe, do you know when tryouts are?)

"Πέμπτη" He smiled. (Thursday)

I returned it, and we all departed ways as the bell rang for third period. I had Biology, which Rosalie and Emmett followed me to. They made small chit chat along the way, and I felt intimidated by their presence. They sat together at a lab station, and I was once again left on my own. 

Not for long, as Jessica waved to me and sat in the empty seat next to me. We talked a little before class, and she was shocked that Bella was my cousin, apparently Jess had been Bella's best friend when she first moved here. I told her about my lunch with the Cullen's, and she listened raptly.

"I don't know, they were really intimidating and asked a lot of questions. I felt like I was doing an exam on 'all things Percy'" I joked. Jess laughed, and I didn't realize I was that funny. 

"Did you notice that they're all abnormally attractive? Like, a little too gorgeous?" She giggled, but became slightly serious, as if my answer was super important. I was beginning to really like hanging out with her, because she didn't really seem that invested in finding out all my secrets, unlike everyone else here. 

"They're pretty attractive I guess, but they're all in relationships - and I'm not really interested, they all give me the evil eye in between questions." Jess was sent into fits of giggles at that and I couldn't help but join in with a slight chuckle. We talked about ecosystems in class, but most of it was just light conversation between the class and the teacher, who was asking about everyone's summers. Some traveled to Seattle, most spent time with friends but nothing too exciting. The teacher - Mr. Thompson - asked me about my summer, and I felt relaxed as I replied. He, like Edward, held a curious tone that didn't seem to pry.

"I travelled a bit, and then moved here from New York to live with my cousin, Bella Swan." As expected, whispers ensued from my revelation but I was tired of the rumours of us being a couple. 

"New York huh? Must be big switch. Where did you travel to?" Mr. Thompson asked.

"Well, I started in SanFran, and from there Alaska, Rome, and Athens. I went back to New York after, and two weeks ago I moved here." I finished. I clearly had the most exciting summer, and the topic was steered back to biology as class came to a close. 

\- - - 

Jess walked me to gym, but quickly took off to make it in time for Math. Bella greeted me at the doors, showing me to the change rooms before departing for her own. I walked in, finding a locker near the back and trying to change quickly. I took off my hoodie, but left my tee shirt on, planning to change it in Bella's truck away from the prying eyes of the male change room. I hoped that no one would look long enough to notice the scars on my arms, and left the change room. 

We started off jogging six laps, and I went slow enough to keep Bella at my side. We chatted about the classes we had without each other, and finished off the assigned laps. My breathing had hardly changed - between Bella's slow pace and my godly endurance the laps were insignificant compared to camp workouts. The coach said we'd be doing basketball, and I was put on the team opposite to Bella. I was excited, as I had spent a lot of time playing with the Apollo and Hermes Cabins. 

The game started, red versus blue. I mostly stayed on defence, not wanting to get in the way of the guys who actually played basketball here. 

\- - - 

My team was down 32-25, and the people of Forks were not shy to make fowls. Most weren't too bad, but the coach wasn't very good at calling them. My team had possession, and was doing a throw in near half. Suddenly, the ball was thrown my way. 

I caught it smoothly, and began to dribble, looking for an opening. I dribbled down the right side of the court, going in for a layup. Mike, from this morning's math class, was defending me. As I shot the ball his hand came up, hitting me in the nose and knocking me down. I got up quickly, wiping my nose and coming away with blood. It hurt pretty bad, but it was probably just a nosebleed from impact. 

"Oh my god Percy! Your nose!" Bella yelled, rushing to look at it.

"I'm fine Bells, it doesn't even hurt," I said, cupping the pool of blood to keep from staining everything. 

"No you're not, it's broken!" She continued, worried. I was surprised, not expecting it to be broken. The coach came over, confirming it was broken and tried to send me to the nurse.

"I'm not going to the nurse." I said wth finality. He tried arguing with me, but shut up as he watched me reset the bone in one quick movement. It made a sickening noise, and Bella let out a small shriek. The blood fell more freely afterwards, the reservoir broken. One of the guys on my team handed me gauze that he had grabbed from the office and I thanked him. He told me his name was Eric, and he had shaggy black hair that hung in his eyes. The blood quickly stopped, my godly heritage kicking in, and I grabbed the ball from the floor.

"Aren't we going to finish? I've got some red ass to kick."

\- - - 

We won the game, people finally starting to pass to me and our team playing with renewed vigour. The final score was 34 - 37, and I smiled at Bella as we walked out to the truck. She was fretting over my nose, but I laughed her off, I had sustained much worse. 

"Hey, Percy!" I heard a voice yell. I turned to find Jessica coming in our direction, and she was visibly taken back at the sight of my nose. "What happened?" She gaped. 

"That Mike guy doesn't seem to like me very much, he punched me out in basketball." I laughed it off. She gasped, and began to fret, much like Bella had.

"Jess, Jess - I'm okay. I'm sorry, but we've got to get heading home, I'll see you tomorrow?" I interrupted. She nodded yes, and gave me a smile before leaving.

\- - - 

"So Jess huh?" Bella asked, giving me a knowing smile. I laughed lightly, shaking my head. "No, no she's just a friend."

"Really?" She said, not believing it for a second. I nodded, and she scoffed. 

"Bells, I'm gay," I said incredulously as we pulled into the drive. Her head turned to me, eyebrows furrowed.

"But Annabeth...?" She asked. I explained to her that we broke up because I realized my interest in the other gender, and the lack of interest I held for her. She was okay with it, and we were able to go back to a friendship stronger than any other. She understood what was going on as she had experienced it herself, and helped me in every way possible, I explained to Bella. 

"That's why it was so hard to move out here. I lost my support system, my friends, family - the only people I knew accepted me without fail." I paused before continuing, " I don't really want to come out at school because of how I got treated when I came out at school in New York." Bella looked at me, and smiled.

"I love you Percy, I'm here with you every step of the way."


	5. Chapter 5

Edward

I drove home from school that night confused. Questions burned at the forefront of my mind, as I pulled into our long drive. I was first in the long line of Cullen cars, and my siblings all piled out behind me. We all entered the house, finding different places to perch and relax in the expansive living room. Discussion began, Bella's cousin intriguing the majority of us. Carlisle entered with Esme, posing questions about the new student.

"What was your impression of him?" Carlisle asked. Alice responded, telling him how nice Percy was, and how shy he seemed.

"I met him in the auto hall, he seemed lost so I helped him find the cafeteria. He sat with us for lunch, and those two don't know how to be discreet." She directed to Jasper and Emmett sharply. Emmett then tried to defend himself, claiming that it was reasonable to be suspicious, because 'what kid didn't have a cellphone?'. 

Esme changed the subject, steering towards me, "Edward, what did you gather from his thoughts?" 

"I....Didn't." I paused, thinking of how best to explain it. "Anytime I tried to read his mind I got this horrible nausea, as if I had consumed food instead of blood." I finished and Jasper than spoke, giving his thoughts.

"It was odd, I was able to sense his emotions easily, they were very clear and surprisingly undivided. But when he started to get really anxious during lunch, I was unable to calm him. It was like a wall had been put up between us as soon as I tried - completely blocking me out." Carlisle hummed, brow furrowed in thought. He was pondering the possibility of Percy sharing the same supernatural-blocking gene as Bella, as they were related. He was about to ask about how Percy was tied into Bella's family, when I answered for him.

"Percy's mom is Charlie's half brother, it's doubtful it would've carried over if it was a gene. Also, I believe it's less of a gene and more of a personality trait. I can read Charlie's thoughts no problem, and the same goes for Bella's mom. Maybe since they both have similar, protective personalities, they both have the the ability to block us out. If Percy's protective nature is stronger than Bella's, that would explain why he's also blocking out Jasper." We all pondered possibilities, talking into the evening, when I left to see Bella.

\- - - 

I entered through the bedroom window, and Bella sat waiting for me. I greeted her with a hug, sitting on the bed next to her. We talked for a short period of time, saying how much we had missed each other. I hadn't met Percy because in the two weeks he was here, we were in northern Canada, taking vacation and hunting. Bella drifted off as the night closed in, and I spent hours watching over her. The house was quiet aside from Charlie's usual snoring, Percy only emitting steady breathing that came from deep sleep. Time passed, and I noticed a change in Percy's breathing. It became slightly frantic, as if he was experiencing a nightmare. Screams suddenly tore through the house, waking Bella instantly. They were horrible, as if being torn from his throat from extreme pain. A scream like that....I hadn't heard in a while. 

As soon as Bella was conscious, she was stumbling down the hall, towards the old study. I listened, not risking getting caught by Charlie. I heard Bella convince Charlie to go back to bed, saying that she would take care of Percy. Charlie left, and Percy's screams receding a little. 

"Perce, Percy wake up, c'mon Perce - it's Bella." She whispered, shaking him. I heard the screams stop, and Percy sit up. His breathing was laboured, and I heard Bella soothing him. He then spoke, clearly upset.

"I was doing so well Bells, I hadn't had a bad one in a week. I'm so sorry." Bella calmed him, telling him that it was okay, and that it would take a while for them to stop completely. The pair talked for a while, about the nightmare and making light jokes in between. Bella and Percy talked as if they had lived together their whole lives, an unexpected bond like that of siblings. Percy fell asleep and she got up to leave, footsteps echoing on the old floors.

"What was that?" I asked her. 

"Could you not hear his thoughts? He gets nightmares, really bad ones." She said tiredly.

"No, he seems to be like you. I can't read his mind, and if I really try to I get extremely nauseated. But that's a discussion for tomorrow, you need sleep." I chuckled. She agreed, falling into her dreams quickly and sleeping peacefully the rest of the night. 

\- - - 

Bella

Percy and I got ready for school in the same fashion as the rest of the week, which I assumed had become routine. It was absolutely pouring today, but Percy didn't seem to mind, basking in the rain with his eyes closed. He was having a quiet day, speaking infrequently and sticking close by my side. I didn't mind, but it worried me slightly. I assumed it was because he had try outs today, and was lost in thought of how they would go. The car ride was quiet, the radio playing on low as we pulled into the lot. 

We exited, and were instantly greeted by Jessica - Percy's new BFF at Forks High. She snatched him away, and I was glad to see him smile as she tugged him along. I was soon greeted in the same way by the Cullens, and we all departed for class. 

\- - - 

Percy

Lunch quickly closed in on me, and I found myself seated with Jessica and her friends. I recognized Eric, the guy who helped me with my nose during gym, and Mike - the cause of me meeting Eric. The rest were slightly familiar, but I couldn't even begin to think of names. Jess waved me to sit down, and I did. She was on my left, with a brown-haired girl to my right. I was introduced by Jess, and eventually knew everyone's names. Angela was beside me, and hid behind her glasses upon introduction. Then there was her boyfriend - Ben - who was very friendly and kind. Beside him was Mike, who glared at me sourly and then ignored my presence. It finally came down to Tyler, Lauren, and of course Eric. 

I chatted with mostly Jess and Eric, and felt very comfortable at this table. Aside from Mike, these people weren't nearly as cold or reserved as the Cullens, and their questions didn't feel like racing bullets at my private life. Mike suddenly engaged in conversation, false innocence directed my way. 

"So, Percy, we saw you play basketball - do you play another sports?" He asked, somewhat cunning.

"I do actually - I swim and I'm into swordplay," I said, my answer similar to the one I gave the Cullens. I was immediately met with shock and questions of how I got into such a rare sport, to which I gave - yet again - the same answer I gave the Cullens. 

"Wait, so you learned Greek and then English?" Lauren asked. I nodded, and was met with a bunch of 'cool's and 'that's awesome's. 

"Okay, so can you say something to me in Greek?" Jess asked with a giggle. I nodded again, and responded in Greek.

"Το όνομά μου είναι Percy και μου αρέσει το μπλε" I was met with excitement, and asked to translate.

"My name is Percy and I like blue," I said smiling. That caused laughs to arise from around the table, and I felt perfectly comfortable joining in. The bell rang and lunch ended, forcing us to drag ourselves to class. 

\- - - 

Class dragged on and on, but between my new friends, Jess and Bella, I was able to make it. I ran out to Bella's truck to grab my swim gear, and then rushed back into the building to avoid tardiness. The other students were only just entering the change rooms, so I was okay. I changed in the bathroom stall of the change room, pulling on swim trunks and a tee shirt. I exited, heading for the pool deck with a few other guys. 

The coach wasn't there yet, and the swimmers were just milling about on the pool deck. In the bleachers I spotted Jess, Bella, and surprisingly enough Alice Cullen. We talked for a few minutes, the trio encouraging me about the impending try out. The coach then arrived, and I went down to the pool deck. 

"Okay Pumpkins, lets get this started. First off, just because you were on the team last year doesn't mean you're on the team this year - you've gotta earn your place. Second, If you are not willing to do before and after school practices, there's the door. Understood?" The coach said, laying down the grounds. We all nodded, and I couldn't stop shifting feet, eager to get in the water. Unfortunately, coach noticed. 

"Newbie, got somewhere to be?" He directed to me. 

"No, sorry sir." I apologized, blushing. He finished telling us about what would be happening this afternoon, and we got into partners due to the lack of lanes. I was with a girl named Katie Marshall, and I let her go first. We would be taking turns, and each partner would preform the 200 meter freestyle, 100 meter backstroke, 100 meter breaststroke, and the 100 meter fly. Katie was good, and not afraid to get competitive and prove herself. When the boy in the lane next to us - Caleb - tried taunting her, she promptly out swam him in freestyle by five seconds. I felt slightly proud for her, and was impatient for my own turn. 

"Hey, Newbie!" Caleb called from his lane. I ignored him, and he kept going. teasing me for wearing a shirt in the pool, commenting on my ability to swim. Katie finally finished, and quietly said to me "Kick his ass," as I got in the pool.

The water made my senses tingle, and I felt relaxed. I pushed off, initiating in the 200 freestyle and finishing with a time of 1:26:54. I slowed down a little when the coach came by, and effectively finished of the other styles. I climbed out of the pool feeling a bit tired, but satisfied with the ache in my muscles. The coach was gawking at me, and I sheepishly walked over. 

"How? How did you manage that?" He asked angrily. I apologized quickly.

"Sorry, I was just really relaxed, and I haven't swam in a while..." I trailed off awkwardly. this seemed to offend him.

"You're sorry? Boy, that was amazing! You managed to beat the record by nine seconds! Nine. Seconds." The coach was hysterically giddy, and I blushed a strong crimson. Turning to the other athletes, he grabbed my shoulder and said to them "Pumpkins, this is our year."

\- - - 

I changed in the bathroom, meeting the girls outside the school afterwards. Bella gave me a radiant smile, and hugged me tightly. She pulled back, exclaiming that I needed to shower because I smelled like chlorine. That made the other two laugh, and Alice invited us all over for dinner. 

"I'm sorry, but I've got an English paper due by tomorrow - maybe some other time." Jess excused, waving goodbye at her car. Bella agreed, and I was pulled into her dinner plans. 

We drove behind Alice, following up the long drive where many expensive cars sat. I steeled myself before stepping out, preparing for the evening.


	6. Dinner Parties

Percy

To say I was amazed was an understatement. I had seen Olympus but this, this was a different type of glory. It was expansive, innovative, and over all expensive. I tried to mask my shock over their home and prevent myself from looking like a complete idiot, but it didn't seem to work in my favour.

"It's pretty awe-inspiring," Bella says in my ear while I silently nod. We walked up the drive, and I couldn't help the unmistakable feeling of marching to my death. My internal radar for danger was going nuts, telling me to tuck tail and run. I ignored it, and entered the house with Bella.

I small woman with kind features swept me up into a strong hug, catching me off guard and making me ready to kill. She let go just as quickly, greeting me with a bright smile.

"You must be Percy! Oh it's so nice to meet you. The kids were telling me about you, they didn't do you justice - you're much more handsome than depicted." The woman gushed, embarrassing me and making me feel guarded. There was something about her scent, I recognized it. Sickly sweet, just missing the barnyard scent. Almost like...

"Empousa" I whispered, wide eyed. All heads whipped towards me, and I suddenly realized how outnumbered I was. I had subconsciously placed Bella behind me, to which she stepped out and asked, "Would you like help preparing supper Alice?"

Alice nodded, smiling and taking Bella by the arm. The storm passed, and Emmett invited me to watch football with him. I accepted hesitantly, and found everyone aside from Bella and Alice sitting to watch the game.

"Πώς ήταν το κολύμπι ;" Edward asked from across the room. (How was swimming?) I replied quickly and fluently, feeling comfortable with my first language. I was relieved that Edward made the effort to communicate with me, and I told him that it went well. We talked briefly about swimming, before turning back to the game that neither of us was interested in for the sake of Emmett.

Growing bored with the game, I left to help Alice and Bella in the kitchen. They gave me the task of chopping vegetables, to which I worked efficiently. Years of helping my mom cook came back to me, and I eventually took over, leaving Alice to suggest and assist while Bella watched.

Dinner tasted amazing, and went by a bit more fluidly than introductions had. A few misplaced questions and observations had put me on guard, but I was learning to trust the Cullens slightly.


	7. The Beach

After dinner I decided to take Percy down to La Push, let him relax on the beach. I could tell that an evening with the Cullens had wound him tight, and I wanted to help him destress to avoid nightmares tonight. I had discovered that Percy was as happy as a fish when in water, and I hoped the presence of h2o would do the trick.

We wandered the beach for a while, skipping stones and splashing in the icy water. Percy was definitely happy, giving one of his rare beaming smiles. I could tell he used to smile like that all the time, before he changed. Before he had to change.

Our peace was disturbed by rustling in the forest. Percy tensed, listening. Too fast for my human eyes to follow, a vampire came bursting free of the foliage and crashed into Percy. The two wrestled in the water, but Percy was no match. She raked her long nails across his cheek, leaving deep gashes. He yelled out as she snapped his arm, racing off to escape the wolves in her tail. Sam pounced on her, and the wolves were able to kill her quickly.

\- - -

Percy

I was in the wolf house. Sun was finding it's way through the shattered windows, and a cold breeze chilled my bones. My feet were bare, broken glass in the bottoms here and there. My whole body hurt, and I knew I had recently fought, maybe for my life. I could hear something outside, and my whole body froze with terror. I called out a name, one that I couldn't recall learning towards the door that hung sadly off it's hinges.

"Lupa?...Lupa?" My voice echoed, reminding me of my remote surroundings. A wolf entered the doorframe, but it wasn't the one I had called.

"Lycaon." I growled fiercely. He attacked, and I was in no position to defend myself. I screamed as his teeth tore into my flesh, muscle tearing and bones cracking. His claws ran across my shoulder, fragmenting the muscles on my bicep and deltoid. I screamed in agony, the pain eating my nerves.

"Hey! Get up! C'mon, wake up!"

I gasped, eyes shooting open and arm reaching to pocket. Before my brain could catch up, my arm was holding Riptide outwards to a man, business end to throat. My eyes shot around, taking in six other people, before hurriedly retuning to my riser.

"Percy, calm down, it was just a night terror." A female voice said to my left. "I'm right here, you're safe. Come on Perce, it's Bells."

I slowly lowered my sword, capping it and putting it back in my pocket. Bella was beside me, getting my eyes to focus on her.

"Who's Lupa, Percy?" She asked carefully. I was torn between the night terror and reality.

"Percy, where did you get that gun?" Bella tried again. I relaxed, realizing I could manipulate the mist. I turned to everyone in the room and spoke calmly.

"I merely woke up from a night terror. You never saw a gun, or a sword, or were in harm's way. Your are safe, and all is well." I snapped my fingers, going around the room to make sure I got everyone.

"What the hell are you talking about man? Where did you get that sword?" The man I attacked screamed in a panic. Aside from Bella, they weren't affected by the mist.

"Oh schist." I muttered.

\- - -

Jacob

I had been out on patrol with Quill, and we decided to head back to Emily's for food. Upon entering we discovered a man on the sofa, passed out with a poorly dressed broken arm. He had unruly black hair, which fell across his forehead in the most endearing way. Judging by the way his legs hung off the sofa, he was tall. His clothes were slightly damp, as if he had taken a hasty swim.

But none of that mattered. My vision tunnelled, and all I could do was stare.

I had imprinted.


	8. Civilized Conversation

Percy

I sat down with a large huff, unsure of how to handle this situation. I was in over my head, I was losing control of the situation. My head was in my hands, and I was on the verge of a massive headache. 

"Well?!" Demanded the guy I had attacked. I didn't know what to say. Did I try to salvage what was left and risk losing their trust completely? Or was I to spill my guts and hope for the best? I didn't know.

"Hey-o, sword wielder, how 'bout an explanation?" 

I looked up, my eyes meeting with the dark ones of a young man. I tried not to stare, examining the room and all it's contents. I knew there was no going back now, they had seen a sword appear in my hands instantaneously.

"How about we all take a seat?" I asked tiredly. Some were more than hesitant, but they eventually all found seats - away from me. Bella slowly drifted toward me in confusion. She whispered to me quietly.

"Percy, I don't know what you went through last summer - but you don't need a gun. You're safe here, no one can hurt you anymore. I don't know what Seth meant by 'sword-wielder' and I'll admit I'm confused right now, but can we talk it out? I know whatever happened was painful, but maybe if you tell me what's going on I can help." Her whispers carried through the silent room, and I found all eyes on me. I instead focused on Bells.

"I'm going to do something Bella, and I'm going to need you to stay calm, okay?" She nodded mutely. I pulled riptide from my pocket, cap in place. Slowly I took it off, pointing the blade upwards and away from us. Her face read shock, and I could tell all she could see was a gun. 

"Bella, look through it. It's not a gun.... focus, see what's really going on." She struggled, not seeing through the mist. She blinked hard, eyes refocusing to see the truth. Her eyes grew large and she gasped, her vision snapping to me quickly.

"But how...?"

"I'm going to tell you some things, they're going to be very hard to believe - but I promise I'm telling you the truth." I focused on Bella, finding it easier to tell her than the others. 

"My dad, he's not dead like my mom told you."

"Your dad? Percy, just tell me what's going on" Bella asked desperately, taking my hand. 

"I am, I'm getting there. It's just... It's going to be very hard to believe." I paused, thinking. "My dad didn't die when I was a baby, he was busy and important - he still is - and me thinking he was dead was safer for everyone. You see, you know all about him. Most American mortals do."

"Mortals?" Bella asked incredulously.

"Yes, mortals. You see, I'm not like you. Mostly." I sighed, cutting to the chase. "I'm only half mortal."

This time, it wasn't Bella that responded.

"And what's the other half? Unicorn?" Laughed the man I had pointed the sword at earlier. 

"My other half, is god."

A glass shattered, dropping from the hands of a beautiful young woman with scars across her face. It was otherwise quiet, the air tainted with disbelief. That silence quickly copied the glass.

"Are you serious? Dude, what have you been smoking?" Agitated, I made water rise from the glasses around the room with the rise of my finger tips. Silence ensued, before I threw back

"Believe me now? His name's Poseidon, you might've heard of him." 

\- - - 

Eventually, I had the group convinced and learned all their names - but they were less than satisfied. I had explained the basics of being a demigod, Greek/Roman aspects and other answers along the way. They were frustrated with me, as I had refused to talk about my quests and the exact details of my demigod life. That didn't stop them from badgering though. 

"Wait, so you've battled monsters?" Asked Seth, who seemed the most eager. 

"Yeah, since I was twelve," I answered vaguely. Seth 'awed' yet again, and Sam took that as his turn to question me.

"How have we not heard of your kind?"

"Well, for one the mist. It's a veil that distorts human vision to disguise the godly world, which is why Bells thought my sword was a gun. Mortals will believe anything but the truth. Also, immortals. The mortal world never knew about the war of Manhattan because Morpheus put everyone asleep while the war was waged in front of them." I explained.

"Woah, woah woah - you fought in a war?" Jacob asked, stunned. I nodded, ignoring the newest wave of questions. 

"That's enough," I said in my battle voice. Thankfully, I was met with silence. "Now, I have questions for you. First off, the Cullens. I know they're not mortal, and I know they're not greek. The closest comparison I have is Empousa, but I know that's not entirely correct."

I was given nods of approval, before Sam explained. He told me that they were vampires, somewhere between Dracula and Empousa. I handled their existence without difficulty before moving on. 

"Now, spill it. I told you what I am, and it's only fair you do the same. You all smell somewhat like Lupa, but I know you're not Lycanthrope. Probably something newer, similar to the Cullen's form of vampirism. Also, Bella brought me here instead of the hospital, which means that she trusts your people - mortal or not."

Embry shook his head, handing Jared some money while Paul and Sam took turns explaining.

"You're correct. We are not wholly human, like yourself. We are wolves. This is my pack, these are our pack lands. We are natural enemies to the Cullens -"

"- But tolerate them because of Bella here -"

"- and treaties in place with them. They aren't allowed on pack lands, which is why Bella brought you here. You were attacked by a vampire, though no one from the Cullen Clan. She was an outsider, a rouge on the lands. I trust you to keep this secret, it won't be difficult considering the life you lead." Sam finished. I thanked him, and began to stand from the couch. I stretched my arms high over my head and yawned, while Emily decided to make some snacks for everyone. Bella, Quil and Sam soon left to help, and I was left with Seth, Leah, Jared, Embry, Paul and Jacob. Jacob set me on edge, he had been staring at me strangely the whole time.

I laid down on the couch, fighting a small headache. The other guys were talking amongst themselves, and I was about to tune out before I heard my name.

"Percy, who would win in a fight - me, or Jared?" asked Embry asked with a sly grin. I sighed, before nonchalantly replying,

"Neither." The two began to argue with me, defending themselves before I interrupted.

"I could take you both," I smirked. I was yet again met with arguing, before Emily yelled at us 'to take it outside of her house'

We did, with Seth, Leah, Paul, and Jacob trailing behind. We went out on the lawn, in the large space next to the forest and my opponents began to take of their shirts. I did not follow their lead, instead pulling ambrosia from my pocket. 

"If we're gonna fight, I'll need both arms. Someone want to set this for me?" I was met with looks of horror, and I sighed in exasperation. Sitting down, I placed my arm against my knee, and took a deep breath. I quickly snapped it back in place, letting out a small whimper before I shoved the ambrosia in my mouth. The majority of the group looked ill, and I just flexed my fingers as the godly food worked. After a brief explanation of the properties of ambrosia and nectar, I waited for them to decide rules.

"Okay, first off - No stabbing us. You can give your sword to Jacob, he'll give it back at the end. Second, we can't turn 'cause that would be totally unfair and we'd beat you in an instant. Sound good?" Jared asked cockily. I met his call with a taunt.

"Okay first off - you can't have my sword. I won't stab you, but it's enchanted to always return to my pocket so Jacob couldn't hold it for long. Second, keep in mind that I've fought Kronos himself before you assume that two pups would be to much for me. Sound good?" I asked with a wink. They became angry, and we fought.

Emery charged at me quickly, but I sidestepped and tripped him. That didn't stop Jared, who attempted the same tactic before I ducked under his arms. This made them more angry. Jared tried to punch my jaw, but I blocked and ducked out of the way before Embry could hit me from behind. Jared managed to scrape my cheek up while trying to grab my hair, but I quickly returned with a snap kick to his ribs. I landed a solid hit to Embry's ribs as well before whirling and roundhouse kicking Jared in the stomach. They recovered, charging me again. Jared attempted to put me in a headlock, but I delivered an elbow to the side of his head and a few solid hits to his nose. Embry tried grabbing me, but I stole Annabeth's move, judo flipping him. I quickly brought my sword to them, allowing them no options but to submit to the loss. 

Seth was hooting and cheering, and Leah gave me a begrudging fist bump. I chuckled at Seth's excited motor mouth, and we all went into the house. Emily offered me a glass of water when I entered, which I gladly accepted. I gulped it down quickly, and relished in the feeling of my scratched cheek healing. I turned to sit, only to find Jacob gaping at me. 

"Your cheek? It just... healed." He said bewildered. I nodded, explaining the healing benefits of being a son of Poseidon while Seth smiled some more. Soon snack time was called, and the boys rushed to the kitchen like a pack of kindergarteners. They seemed like good people, maybe I wouldn't mind having them around.


	9. Back to Reality

Bella

After all was said and done, we discovered that Percy had drifted off on the couch. We left him to sleep, and I was loaned a room upstairs for the night. Sleep didn't come easy, my mind still overloaded with impossible information. I wanted to deny what Percy had told me, but I somehow knew it to be true. It left an awful feeling in my gut, knowing some of the things Percy went through.

Screams rung out from downstairs a few hours later, and I rushed to Percy's aid. He was covered in a sheen of sweat, and was shaking moderately on the couch. The others were quickly waking and rushing down, but I made a beeline for Percy.

"Perce, wake up! It's not real," I shouted to be heard. It didn't seem to be working, and his back arched while he screamed out "Annabeth!"

I began to shake him, and when a wave of water splashed over me I knew he had woken. His eyes were wild, tears running down his cheeks. His head went to his hands and after a while I heard him whisper,

"They had her Bells, they were torturing her," I climbed on the couch beside him, ignoring the dampness of my clothing and wrapping him in a hug. 

"Who Perce? Who was hurting Annie?" I said softly. He quietly told me some of the details, telling me about the arai and how they hurt them. He slowly calmed down, and I noticed those who had woken were sitting on the floor near us. Seth's eyes were glistening, and I pulled him over for a hug too.

"I'm sorry I woke you guys," Percy said quietly "I just had a stressful day and it makes them worse." No one blamed him, and we all slowly retreated to bed - except for Jake, who fell asleep on the other couch.

~ ~ ~

Morning came and all seemed well, not having anymore trouble through the night. Aside from Percy everyone was awake, and I began to help Emily make pancakes. Percy stumbled in, bleary-eyed and not nearly awake. He sat at he table, and quietly asked for a cup. Jared complied, putting one on the table beside his sleepy head. Water drifted into it and he raised his head to drink from the glass. Looking as though he had just been injected with caffeine, he shook his head and sat up straight. 

"Mornin'" He greeted, now fully awake. Emily just shook her head and laughed, and eventually everyone else joined in. We were still getting used to each other, but it seemed okay.

I went back to making pancakes when I heard an excited,

"Are those pancakes?" Percy's eyes were wide and his smile shone, which seemed to surprise the others. 

"Yes, would you like some?" I asked cheekily.

"Yes please! " Percy cheered. "Could you make them blue?" 

Heads swivelled and Percy just shrugged, saying how his mom made them all the time. I complied without a fight, glad to see him so happy today. When they were finished he ate them with vigour, and I knew his eating habits would fit in here.

Percy was excited to finally be able to practice with his sword again, and rushed outside after helping to clean up. Seth followed him, and I knew they would eventually become inseparable at the rate they were going. I soon followed and sat on the grass beside some of the others who had come to watch. 

"Hey Seth!" Percy called, and Seth came running across the yard. "D'you want to learn how to use a sword?" Percy said with mischief. Seth's head bobbed so much I thought it would fall off, and Percy ran into the garage. 

He came back with a broom stick, and proceeded to teach Seth the basics. He was an amazing teacher, his patience never waning and his instructions clear. When complimented about it, he mentioned that he thought the classes at camp, which earned a whole new volley of questions.

"Camp?"

"You teach?"

"What's it like?"

Percy told us about camp in detail, explaining it was his favourite place in the world. There were strawberry fields and cabins for each god, a lava rock climbing wall and pegasus stables. He told us about how demigods were brought there to train and become heroes.

"Is that were you met your girlfriend?" Jake asked. Percy looked confused, before coming to a realization. He sat with us to tell, joining our semi circle.

"She's not my girlfriend, I mean she used to be, but were just best friends. We tried dating after knowing each other for five years, but we were meant to be friends. We met when we were twelve and almost every quest I've been on she was there for, I wouldn't have made it to thirteen without her. We went to hell and back for each other, and I would die for her." Percy explained with a look of determination in his eye. I didn't doubt that he would die for her, his speech sincere and true. 

"What do you mean... you went to hell and back for her?" Seth asked quietly. Percy seemed conflicted, unsure of how to answer.

"There's a place in the greek and roman world, a place were Gods will not go. It's were monsters go to reform, and the titans were banished. She was hanging off a cliff after a dangerous quest, and the cliff led straight down to there. I was holding her hand, stopping her from falling, but my hand was bleeding and about to give out. My cousin Nico tried to help us, but we were too far down. I couldn't leave her, so we fell together." He finished with his head down. The air seemed colder, and eyes shifted nervously.

"Hey, what do you say to a duel?" Seth challenged, trying to bring Percy back. It worked, and he gave a small smile.

"You'll need a couple more brooms," He laughed.

~ ~ ~

Jacob, Seth, Embry and Quill were geared up with assorted make-shift swords and ready to fight. Percy held riptide, going over the basics. They all nodded along, getting into ready stances and facing off with Percy.

Quill made the first move, charging Percy with his pipe swinging. Percy blocked and thrust, whapping him with the flat of his sword. Everyone else sprung into action, and Percy whirled with deadly accuracy, never causing real harm. He fended them off well, which was no surprise with their sloppy techniques and his experience. He only played defence, giving them the chance to learn and work together. They tried, but their inexperience was their downfall. Percy switched to offence, quickly knowing them all down.

"Had enough?" He smiled with mirth. They panted, and he helped them all up. They were laughing and happy, not off-set by the defeat. They spent most of the day outside, practicing and battling, occasionally breaking for hand-to-hand. Soon they came in to eat, the sun beginning to set vividly.


	10. Wolf World

Percy

We came in for dinner as the sun was setting and thanked Sam for dinner. He had cooked, knowing it wasn't kind to always expect Emily to do it. The food was delicious, and we easily chatted over it, learning more about each other. 

"So with demigods, are there any soulmates? I know the greeks were infamous for their romances," asked Jared from the far left of the table. I chuckled a little, shaking my head.

"No, no, nothing like that. We're just like mortals in the love department - well maybe unless you're an Aphrodite kid. Or if Aphrodite takes an interest in you. Basically what I'm getting at is don't mess with Aphrodite," I said, causing the table to laugh. 

"Wait, what can Aphrodite kids do?" Asked Seth innocently. 

"A lot. Love potions, enhanced beauty, a way with all things cosmetic. Oh, and they get along with the pegasai, but not as well as Poseidon kids." I explained.

"Why do you get along better with pegasai?"

"Because Poseidon is the creator of horses and pegasai, so I can talk to them better than the Aphrodite kids. Well, they can't talk to them, they're just really nice to them." The table erupted with chatter upon discovering my abilities with horses, and I resumed the conversation.

"Why and interest with demigod love lives? Do you guys have soulmates?" I chuckled. Sam answered me seriously.

"Yes we do, it's called imprinting. A wolf can imprint on someone, claiming them as theirs. Imprints can have lots of different relationships, but the most common is soulmates - Like Em here," He said, beaming at her. I smiled too, happy for them, and noticed an awkward amount of staring coming from Jacob. I chose to ignore it.

"So Percy, about you going out for swimming." Bella teased, causing me to blush.

"I don't cheat, I promise. I'm just really relaxed and in my element - both figuratively and literally." I joked. She laughed, and proceeded to explain my swimming skills to the rest of the table like a proud mother. I ducked and blushed violently, and searched for a new subject.

"So does your world have any other creatures? Or is it just wolves and vampires?" 

"Nah, just us and the vamps. What about you?" Seth replied. 

"Tons. There's more than I even know, and I've fought most of them. the Minotaur, the Furies, Arai, rebellious gods, titans, skeletons, ghosts, Dracnae, Laistrygonian Giants, Telkahines, other Giants, the list just goes on and on." I answered. Seth stared open-mouthed, and the rest of the table resembled varying degrees of his shock. Many couldn't believe that many monsters existed, and others were in shock that I'd met most of them.

"So, how do you know someone's a demigod? Like, you said you didn't know who your dad was until you were twelve?"

"There's trademarks we look for. Kids with ADHD and Dyslexia that move around a lot or have been to lots of schools are red flags. Almost all demigods have ADHD because its our battle instincts to keep us alive in wars and quests. We have dyslexia because our brains are made to read ancient greek, not english. That's why I'm fluent with hardly taking any lessons, it comes easier than english. And as for moving and getting kicked out, monsters attack us frequently depending on our scents, and since the mortals can't see through the mist they blame it on us. One time, I was attacked by monster cheerleaders and everyone thought I tried to blow the school up because they threw fire at me." Everyone burst out in laughter, imagining the scene of me getting blamed for having fore thrown at me.

"And as for not knowing my dad, my mom did everything she could to protect me. I'm a child of the three elder gods, so my scent is stronger than those of minor gods. This makes me more delectable to monsters, and if I knew my parentage my scent would skyrocket. That's why my mom married Gabe, because he smelled so bad he masked my demigod smell and made it harder for the monsters to find me. But, my best friend turned out to be a satyr who was trying to bring me back to camp so I wouldn't die. Needless to say, we got attacked on the way there and I went on my first quest." It was quiet for a moment before Jacob said,

"He smelled that bad?" I chuckled and nodded while he whispered, "Holy shit."

The other wolves seemed to be in disbelief, and I came to a realization.

"Wait... can you smell me?" I asked, a little disturbed. They nodded, and Seth explained.

"Your smell is really strong, hard not to catch it. That's what probably set the vampire on the beach off." 

"What do I smell like?" I asked, receiving mixed reviews.

"A little like the ocean."

"Warm strawberries."

"And a little like pine needles."

I shrugged, thinking it could be worse. That was, until Bella then interrupted.

"Like a normal stinky teenage boy that uses all the shaving cream," The table erupted in roaring laughter, and I blushed heavily.

"Hey, I need it more than you do! My face isn't going to shave itself. Also, I'm not what would qualify for a 'normal stinky teenage boy'" I argued lightly.

"Oh really?" She countered, raising her eyebrows with crossed arms.

"First off, I'm definitely not a normal guy, being half god does that to you. And second, I don't really qualify as a teenager considering I've outlived the expected lifetime by a full year now." I replied sassily, sticking out my tongue at the end.

"Wait, you weren't supposed to live past sixteen? Why?!" Asked Jacob incredulously. 

"I'd rather not go into detail, but demigods lead short, difficult lives that end in tragedy. Until last summer I'd never seen a demigod older than twenty." I said, somewhat curtly. The table became somber, before Seth asked childishly,

"But what about your friends? What about Annabeth?"

"I've seen a lot of heroes die, and Annabeth has almost died as many times as me. But I'm thankful she's made it through." We made eye contact, and he seemed younger than some of the newbies at camp. I was thankful for that. 

"Enough about me, Sam - who knew a surly guy like you could cook so well?" I joked, trying to get away from the subject before I dwelled on it. The tension eventually dissolved, and the plates were cleaned up. Bella and I drove home after, and I was asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow. I slept soundly that night, and I thought that maybe I was getting better.


	11. Returning to Hell

Percy

Monday felt like a slap in the face. I sometimes got so caught up in my other life that I forgot about the mortal reality, and was left scrambling over trig homework and tests. Today was one of those days.

I overslept and missed catching a ride with Bella, leaving me to be late for math. I rushed in at the very last second, the bell ringing as I passed through the doorway. My teacher was not impressed, and her frustration with me only grew when she discovered I forgot the homework. Needless to say it was my least favourite class. 

"Mr. Jackson, would you be so kind as to answer the question?" She sneered. I startled, having been completely spaced out and staring at the doorway. I blushed furiously when she started again.

"Oh you don't know it? Maybe that's because you were not paying attention yet again." I shrunk low, awaiting death when Bella came to my defence.

"Miss? Percy has trouble paying attention it's really not his f-"

"We all have trouble sometimes, we just need to learn to focus and get over our immaturities." She said sharply. I burrowed into my sweatshirt, feeling more embarrassed than ever before in my life. I just wanted to crawl in a warm cosy hole of dirt.

"He has ADHD Miss, it makes it extremely-"

"That is enough Miss Swan, unless you would like to get yourselves both detention?" She snapped, knowing she'd won.

We both glared at her and let her resume the lesson, and I nearly crowed when the bell rung. I trudged to english after Bella had apologized a million times, feeling tired and anxious. 

Jess met me there, and I was thankful for her relaxing and easy-going personality. She helped ease some of the tension in me through jokes and wisecracks, which didn't seem to bother my english teacher too much. I liked this one, he was laid back and didn't be rude to anyone. 

Jess invited me for lunch, and I happily complied, opting to avoid another Cullen investigation. The bell finally rang, and Jess and I raced the whole way to the cafeteria. 

~ ~ ~ 

"Ange, who won - me or Percy?" Jess demanded panting. Angela laughed, not wanting to give up the true winner, which resulted in a rematch.

"Jackson, you and me, outside to rematch." Jess ordered jokingly. We went outside, with Ben giving us the rules and distances. I stood ready beside Jess, and when Ben called 'go' I left like a bullet. I sprinted like there was a gorgon on my butt, leaving Jess in my dust.

"Yeah Perce!" A male voice called from the parking lot. I finished, turning to see who it was. 

Seth stood accompanied by Quill and Jacob, and I was caught off guard by their presence. They started walking over and Jess whispered to me.

"You know them?" I nodded, meeting them halfway.

"What are you guys doing here? It's the middle of a Monday."

"We need your help."

~ ~ ~

They did not, in fact, need my help. 

They decided that the middle of a Monday would be the best time for initiation, claiming I had to do it because I knew their secret.

"Aw c'mon, even Bella's done it! Granted she was a little off then, but still!" Quill whined. They badgered me at the top of a cliff, trying to convince me to jump into the icy cold waters. It wasn't the water I had trouble with, it was the fall. 

It reminded me of tartarus, and I had trouble convincing myself it wasn't that big of a deal. Most of the pack was there spare Emily and Sam, and I knew I had to do this. I was perfectly safe, I'd fallen from much higher under much more serious circumstances. I would do it.

"Alright, alright, I'll go!" I shouted to be heard. Cheers arose and I was honoured with first jump.

Rolling up my sleeves in a dramatic show of preparation, I balanced on the very edge. Suddenly I jumped, falling into a perfectly executed backflip and dive. I splashed into the water and laughed, glad I had let them convince me of this. After a morning so gruelling and anxiety-ridden I needed this break, I needed to be a teenager again.

~ ~ ~ 

I sat up at the top of the cliff, dripping wet beside Jacob while the others jumped. We had both had our shares of dives, and watched as Seth tried to show off. He would dive and flip, seeming as though he could never get tired. Jacob laughed at his antics, and I smiled beside him.

"Man it's cold as balls up here," he muttered to himself. I noticed his shivering and touched his shoulder, instantly drying him with my powers. He looked at me with wide eyes before exclaiming, "Holy shit!"

The others turned to look at us, shocked at Jacob's dry state. 

"He just... touched my shoulder... and now I'm dry" Jacob said in amazement. I laughed, before snapping my fingers theatrically and drying myself. The others burst out in awe, asking questions a mile a minute. Eventually I had them all calmed down, and when they were done cliff jumping I went around touching their shoulders to dry them. 

Seth was walking beside me, his hair sticking up in every direction from being dried. He was chatty as usual, and he seemed brighter today.

"Hey Perce, what was that on your arm?" Asked Seth, as per usual.

"Huh? Oh, that. It's my tattoo." I replied. This stopped all the remaining members of our party to ask to see it. I complied, rolling my right sleeve to show of my SPQR tattoo.

"Woah," Seth whispered with wide eyes, before he was struck with another thought. "How'd you get it? My mom won't even let me get the pack one." He pouted while the others laughed.

"Well getting kidnapped and having burned into you doesn't leave much room for your mother's decision. Especially when I was doing it to earn their trust and become allies in the war against Gaea." I responded.

"What d'ya mean?" Jacob asked in slight horror.

"Last summer I was kidnapped by Hera put in the Roman camp, and Jason, one of the Romans took my place at camp. She planned that by switching leaders we could unite the enemies to win the war. And so, I became a full member of the legion - this tattoo proves that I am no longer on probatio, that I fulfilled my act of valour to pledge my allegiance to rome. " I explained, earning disturbed looks.

"What was your act of valour?" Jacob asked as we continued to walk.

"Umm, I think it was when I killed Polybotes the giant, when he attacked Rome - although it might've been for return the lost eagle. I'm not quite sure, it all happened do fast," I replied.

"How can you not be sure?" Embry asked in outrage.

"I was only there for like, four days if you remove all the time I was on the quest to retrieve my memory," I said exasperated. This was met with more outcry about how I could forget to mention that I lost all my memories.

"That was part of the switch, we both lost all of our memories so that we would blend in better. It didn't really help me because I fought like a Greek and had absolutely no Roman values, but y'know." I paused, remembering. "Well, I remembered Annabeth, but other than that nothing. I didn't even know who I was when I woke up in the wolf house. I eventually got my memories back by wagering gorgon's blood, but Jason never did." I finished as we reached the porch steps. The wolves seemed to absorb this when Seth said,

"Man, you make our lives look like a cake walk." We laughed for a while afterwards.


	12. Fireplaces

Jacob

After cliff diving and listening to Percy's stories we headed inside to sit by the fire. Percy was dry, but quite clearly cold, so even though we didn't feel the same we started up the fire for him.

"Gods, it's freezing! How are you not cold?" He asked incredulously. I laughed, explaining that we were always warm due to our wolf genes. He grumbled, scooting closer to the fire. I admired him privately, staring at his long unruly hair and strong back. He was amazing, and I only just met him. 

I had absolutely no way to tell him that I had imprinted, and I was afraid of how he would react. He sliced up monsters in his free time, but what about his relationships? I mean, was he even gay? He could probably have anyone he wanted, he was considerate and loyal, not to mention undeniably handsome.

I was terrified, and by the looks Sam kept giving me I knew he needed to be told - but how? I sighed, padding to the kitchen to make coffee. 

"Perce, you want coffee?" I asked in my most casual tone. He looked up at me, and I was yet again caught off guard by his entrancing eyes. He gave me a small but warm smile, which made me melt a little inside.

"Do you have tea? I'm not much of a coffee guy - tea has more caffeine so it's more calming to my ADHD." He replied. I mumbled out a yes, surprised by his random intelligence.

"Annabeth used to make me tea to help calm my anxiety and explained it to me," He shrugged, sensing my need for elaboration. I nodded, confirming that peppermint was okay. 

The kettle gurgled and the fire crackled, and for a moment I forgot the other guys were here. I leaned back against the counter feeling tired, and let out a long yawn. I stretched my arms high above my head and groaned, thinking about a nice nap. I turned to catch Percy staring, and stated my need for a nap. He agreed with my idea, and laid by the fire with sleepy eyes. I brought him his tea, which made him smile and my heart flutter. I secretly indulged in him not knowing, our building relationship untainted by preconceived notions. 

The guys were sitting around the coffee table, playing a card game quietly. I contemplated joining them, but decided sitting beside Percy would be more enjoyable. We sat quietly for a while, and I listened to the sound of his breathing. He barely broke the quiet, his voice soft and innocent. 

"I'm really glad I'm here." I looked over at him, wondering if he meant physically or emotionally. nonetheless, I agreed wholeheartedly.

"Me too Perce, Me too."

~ ~ ~

Percy

I woke up slowly, deep voices calling to me. I listened, not comprehending what I was hearing. 

"When do you think he'll tell him?"

"Not sure, hopefully soon. I can't stand the looks he's giving him. Not to mention how oblivious Percy is," The second voice said. I was curious, but too sleepy to pay attention for much longer. Hypnos was pulling me under, and come morning I wouldn't understand the conversation. 

~ ~ ~ 

I was groggy, that's for sure. I woke up on the floor, my body sore. I noticed a blanket beside me, rumpled and used. I got up, stumbling to the bathroom and then the kitchen. My eyes were bleary, and I yawned thoroughly while sitting down. 

"Morning Perce," Seth said from my left, and I mumbled out a response. I laid my head on the table, briefly falling asleep before waking up again. 

A bowl was set in front of me, and my head shot up with half-lidded eyes. Jake stood there, spoon outstretched for me to take. I did, and gave him a tired thanks, a small smile conveying it. I slowly ate my cereal, my mind too foggy to mow down on it.

I woke some more, and noticed that the only guys here were Jacob, Seth and Embry. 

"Where is everyone?" I asked confused, my voice deep and rumbly from sleep.

"School," came Seth's short reply. I instantly woke up, eyes widening comically.

"Fuck," I cursed, shooting up and starting to get ready as fast as possible. My mind was processing how pissed Charlie would be, when I realized how much worse Bella would be. I continued to curse under my breath, when I wildly turned to the guys.

"Anyone have a clean shirt?" I asked frantically. Jacob gave me one since we were at his house, and I changed my shirt in the middle of the living room in a rush. Not minding that I just flashed them all my bare chest, I tugged my shoes on and after receiving Embry's keys, sprinted out the door. 

I discovered that I had woken up in time for lunch, and was greeted by Bella upon my arrival. I gulped, closing the door to meet her angry face. 

"Hey Bells," I mumbled nervously.

"'Hey Bells'? What the hell Percy? Where have you been? I was worried about you! I went to pick you up after school and Jess said she hadn't seen you since lunch." She yelled, cooling down a little near the end. I noticed the Cullens behind her, and sighed deeply. 

"Jacob and the guys showed up at lunch yesterday, saying that they needed my help. I thought it was serious, so I went. I found out that they were just putting me through initiation and fell asleep at Jake's after. They didn't wake me up so I drove here as soon as I was up with Embry's truck. I'm sorry, I thought they needed me and then I passed out. I didn't mean to worry you, please don't be mad with me." I apologized. She sighed, and pulled me in for a hug which I gladly returned.

"Is that... Jake's shirt?" Bella asked confused. I explained about my panicked wake up, and she laughed, but told me she was glad that I slept well. I smiled back, and was suddenly engulfed in a hug from Alice. It startled me, but I gently returned it.

"How about you come over for dinner tonight and we all catch up? We haven't hung out since school started." Alice invited cheerily. I looked at Bella, and we agreed for 6:30 supper. 

After the scene with Bella the day passed quickly, and I thought about dinner. I decided that I would tell them my secret, it was only fair since I knew theirs. I also knew that should trouble arise, it was better to have them on my side. Finally the last period bell rang, and I was free until 6:30.

I decided to head to Jake's


	13. Tie?

Percy

After school ended I hopped in Embry's truck and raced to Jake's to return his shirt. I hoped that Embry would be there, because I had no other way of returning his truck. It had started to rain again, and when I arrived I let it revitalize me from the long day. I stood outside of the truck, basking in the rain. It wasn't getting me wet, but the way it fell around me made me feel electrified. I sighed, peacefully letting it dance across my palm and up my arm, forming waves as it went. I knew I was safe here, no one would see except maybe the wolves.

I played some more, making the puddles levitate and the rain fall in patterns. I caused a puddle to turn into an orb, and rolled it along my arms. I calmed me, getting out all the tension through my abilities. Going too long without using them made me irritable - after all, the ocean doesn't like to be restrained.

The sound of the door opening broke me out of my trance, and the water fell from it's various states of levitation. I turned to see Jacob, a smile on his face.

"C'mon inside, you'll get sick!" He called out. I compiled, even though he failed to realize that I couldn't get wet. We marched inside, and I accidentally startled Jacob when I touched his shoulder. He jumped, but thanked me for drying him.

"So, what brings you by?" He asked somewhat tense. I noticed the lack of other pack members, and tried to be casual.

"Well, I thought I'd return your shirt as well as Embry's truck. Also, I have to kill some time before I go to the Cullen's." I replied. Jake's nose wrinkled at the mention of their name, and I chuckled lightly.

"Not a fan?" I asked jokingly. He shook his head 'no' and led me to the kitchen. We made coffee and tea respectively, then sat at the table with our hands wrapped around our drinks. It was becoming cold outside, and although it didn't seem to effect Jake, it definitely got to me.

"What was it like moving here?" Jacob asked, breaking the quiet. I looked up at him, caught off guard by his warm eyes.

"Well, I was in a really bad place mentally. I had just come out of two wars, hell, and the loss of 8 months of my life, so I was having trouble coping. I lost a lot of friends in both wars and battles, and being the leader took its toll on me. I was diagnosed with anxiety, PTSD, and depression so I didn't really go anywhere but my house and Camp. I had survived, which is more than I can say for others, but I was struggling with the day-to-day.

"My mom and step-dad thought it would be best if I got some distance from Camp, because my duties and the memories were preventing me from moving on. So, it was really difficult to move here but Bella has helped me more than she knows. I was having night terrors and flashbacks constantly, certain words and noises triggering them. But now, I'm able to go cliff diving with you guys without a panic attack." I spilled, smiling at the end. Jake smiled back, and asked me what Camp was like, what being a demigod was like.

"Well, Camp is home. I'm in cabin three - Poseidon - and the best feeling in the world is waking up to the ocean and the smell of the strawberry fields. All the meals are served in this giant open-air pavilion, and you can have whatever you want to eat. You have to sit at the table of your godly parent - well, unless you're Nico - and then after is activities.

"We now have cabins for every demigod child, and are allied with the Romans which means we can go to college. I mean, college doesn't seem like a big deal, but for demigods its a dream. Most of thought we wouldn't see seventeen. But, if you take away all the tragedy, quests and war, being a demigod is pretty great. You meet people just like you, sometimes discover a whole other family you didn't know about. Camp is pretty much the only safe place for us, but all demigods consider it home. And having powers is cool," I laughed, which Jacob returned. We were interrupted by a shout, which made us both jump in alarm.

"I want to talk to the punk!"

"Say hi to Perce for me Annabeth"

"Shut up!"

"Hey Kelp head!"

I turned, and found an IM floating in the air across from the table. I could see Grover, Thalia, Clarisse, the Stolls and Annabeth floating in the frame. I smiled so wide I thought my face would split, estatic to hear from them.

"Hey guys," I chuckled, turning towards the IM with my tea. I got many greetings back, before Annabeth spoke.

"Hey Seaweed brain, who's your friend?" I turned, forgetting about Jake, and gave him sheepish smile.

"This is Jacob Black, Jake this is Travis, Connor, Clarisse, Grover, Thalia, and Annabeth." I said, pointing to each face. He seemed a little in shock, but got over it and said hello. We all chatted for a while, and I was happy to hear from all of my friends. I hadn't realized just how much I had missed being at camp until then, and listened to all of their tales with rapture. They asked how things were here, and I told them about Bella and school, saving the wolves for Annabeth only. Eventually they had to go, and Annabeth gave me a smile before saying,

"It's good to see you smiling again Perce."

The IM cut off, and I turned back in my chair with a nostalgic smile on my face.

"So that was Annabeth?" Jake asked. I nodded, and discovered that it was 5:45. Jacob offered to give me a lift home, which I gladly accepted. We drove back to Charlie's, and I had him wait downstairs while I changed so I could return his shirt.

Bella was wearing something nice so I should too, so I settled for a dark blue button down and a silver tie. I rolled up the sleeves, and carried the tie down to enlist someone's help in tying it. 

"Why do I have to dress nice?" I called out to Bella as I walked down the stairs. I received the response of 'Alice' and nodded in understanding. Jake was was waiting there, and I tossed him his shirt while he gave me funny looks.

"Tie or no tie?" I asked, trying to break his weird staring. He snapped out of it, responding 'no tie'. I tossed it aside, and waited for Bella. I let out a long sigh, running my hand through my hair impatiently. She descended the stairs, and I smiled at her.

"You look beautiful Bells." She blushed, and I took her hand. 

"Shall we?"


	14. Monsters

Jacob

When Percy came down the stairs I had to hold back my gasp. He was blissfully unaware, his hair cascading down his forehead in tantalizing waves and a tanned strip of collarbone peeking out the side of his collar.

"Tie or no tie?" He asked, eyes latching onto mine as he spoke. I could barely hear myself mutter out a response, and I tried to snap out of it. Who knew the imprint would effect me this much? I felt like a twelve year old, unable to control the racing of my heart and the shortness of breath when I saw him. I needed to get better at this.

Bella then came down the stairs, looking beautiful, which Percy pointed out. Her beauty didn't stop the tunnel vision, and I had to practice stealthy glances. Soon they had to leave, and I followed them out the door. We walked down the stairs, and I almost wished I could stop him from getting in the car. But we said goodbye, and Percy promised to see me soon with a smile that almost stopped my heart.

I got in my car as theirs pulled away, and sat there for a second, trying to slow the beating of my heart and the almost instant thoughts of when I would see him next.

Man, you have got it bad! I heard a voice in my head that I recognized as Seth's. Sometimes I really hated the pack link. The others started to chime in, teasing me for acting so immature. They had noticed that I had imprinted as soon as it had happened, as it did for everyone. They were still teasing me as I pulled out of the drive and rode home.

Percy

Bella was driving, and I sat shotgun, trying to calm the sweat on my palms. The road to the Cullen's was dark and twisty, and I knew we were almost there. Something felt off, and I thought that maybe I needed another coffee. The hair on the back of my neck was raised in anticipation, anticipation of what I'm not sure. I looked out the window, my eyes following the inky black. 

It happened too fast for me to have any concept of time. One second we were driving to the Cullen's for a nice dinner, the next I was waking groggily with a throbbing headache. I looked over, Bella was regaining focus with her body leaning against the wheel. My head and neck hurt, and I could feel sharp pains to the side of my face and skull. My window was smashed, and I assumed it was from impact with my head. I remembered something appearing in the middle of the road, and Bella swerving to miss it. We were now in a ditch, with the car smoking and fresh wounds. I was turning back to check on Bella when she looked at me in horror. Her eyes widened and her jaw hung slack, only for her to draw in a terrified breath and let out an ear-piercing scream of terror. 

I felt meaty hands wrap around my shoulders, yanking me painfully out the broken window. My back was torn open on the ragged shards and I screamed for Bella. I couldn't hear if she was okay through all the chaos, monsters had flooded the road from either side. 

They had formed a circle in the centre, and the Laistrygonian Giant with his hands on me dragged me across the pavement. I screamed and thrashed, unable to reach Riptide - unable to reach any means of escape. The Laistrygonian clubbed me on the head, and I was left disoriented in the middle of the clearing. My unfocused eyes searched for Bella, and spotted her being dragged beside me. 

She scooted closer, and was about to say something before a hush fell over the crowd. Any previous growls and groans were silenced when the new figure entered the ring. It was an Empousa, with her hair flaming and fangs bared in a smirk. I was able to recognize her through my blurry vision, and snarled at her appearance. 

"What are you doing here Kelli? Last time I heard you were enjoying Tartarus." She snarled, and the crowed joined in at the mention of hell. 

"Don't act so tough Perseus, we both know how you were down there," She cackled. I paled, remembering the horrors of drinking fire water and the monsters that dwelled within. I glared my fury showing clearly on my face. 

"How about you try drinking fire bitch?"

The crowed roared, monsters tightening the ring to show their rage and snap their fangs. Bella whimpered, and I turned to her subtly. 

"On my go, you sprint as fast as you can out of here. I'll clear a path and hold them off, and you don't stop running until you get to the pack house. Bring the wolves back here and then get the Cullens." I whispered quickly. She immediately started to protest, but Kelli came and grabbed her hair. 

"Why don't we see how much the hero likes watching his friends die? We all know it wouldn't be the first time, and most definitely won't be the last." I was gripped with fear, shock, and uncontrollable rage. I yelled, charging her with newfound strength. I tackled her, causing her to lose her grip.

"Run Bella!" I roared, fighting Kelli hand-to-hand. She did, and I prayed she made it out safe. New roars joined the crowed, and I fought with renewed vigour. I saw a wolf leap over my head, pouncing on an incoming Dracnae. I was able to reach Riptide, and smashed the hilt into Kelli's forehead, incapacitating her. 

I leaped into the fray, fighting and slashing alongside the wolves. Some monsters ran, but we defeated them and cleared them out eventually. When it was over, Kelli was the only demon left. She quickly regained consciousness and I brought Riptide to her throat. 

"Don't. Move." I growled. She smirked, changing to a leisurely position on the road. 

"Why would I, with eyes like those looking at me? You know, your just as handsome as your father, maybe even mo-"

"Cut the crap and tell me why you came," I demanded, cutting her off. She pouted, still playing an angle.

"Well you see, after that pretty little girlfriend of yours went bonkers back in New York..."

"What did you do to her? Where is Annabeth?!" I yelled. She cackled, flames licking up the sides of her face as she revealed herself. 

"I'm kidding! Such an uptight little hero. You girlfriend is fine sea spawn, I didn't touch her. You're so easy to upset, but I guess thats your hubris shining through again." She teased. I glared, my patience waning. 

"Why are you here then? How did you find me?" I posed.

"Why did we come? Oh I'm not sure you want to know..." One of the wolves growled behind me, and I dug my sword in. Fear registered in her eyes, and her body became rigid. 

"Fine. We came because we heard that the two-time 'Saviour of Olympus' had finally cracked. That he had finally went off the deep end. That Olympus' own rebellious hero, adored by every god, respected by both Greeks and Romans, slayer of everything under the mythological sun... was easy prey. We figured it was true and thought we could take you out, putting the gods into distress and gaining the upper hand. Originally we were led by Geryon, who wanted revenge, but he was taken out by some demigods on the way here and we pushed on without him. I knew the plan was falling apart, but your scent was just so irresistible. That's how we found you, by the way. You should really roll in some mud or som-"

"We've heard enough," Sam said, now back to human form. His face was firm and his voice level. "I want you to leave, and to not come back. Am I clear?"

"And if I do?" Kelli taunted. Crouching down beside her, I got close to her face. I let the hatred in my eyes show, and I whispered with malice "I won't hesitate to cut off your other hand."

Her sudden laughs were cut off by the removal of her right hand, which quickly turned to shrieks and whimpers. 

"Now be gone," I said harshly. She left quickly, and odd combination of golden dust and weird monster blood trailing behind her. 

I shuddered, tossing down Riptide and taking heavy breaths. I felt waves of nausea crashing over me, and jogged quickly to the forest to empty my stomach. I heaved by the bushes for a while, getting the feeling of evil out of my system. I didn't like who I was back there, it reminded me of who I became in Tartarus. I couldn't handle the idea that I might become a person like that, a person who contained evil like that inside them. 

The adrenaline had started to wear off, and I could feel the throbbing ache on my skull an back. I became aware of how much blood I had lost and how badly I just wanted to go to bed. I was just so tired. 

I walked back to the pack on shaky legs, and proceeded to take a seat on the monster-dust covered road. I took deep breaths trying to relax, and tried to ignore the probing stares of the group around me. 

I could hear something approaching quickly from up the road, and I got to my feet in a ready stance with Riptide drawn. The Cullens were soon beside us, Bella with them. She quickly ran to me, and I wrapped her in my arms, hugging her tight. We didn't let go for a while, and I knew she needed me just as much as I needed her. 

"Percy what-" Bella began to ask in a shaky voice.

"Not right now Bells. Please."

~ ~ ~

Formal explanations were in order, and the Cullens agreed that the pack should come with us to hear what they already knew. After a few complaints they were persuaded by Jacob and Sam, and we all made the trek back to the Cullen household. 

"Perce, are you okay?" Seth asked quietly on the walk back. He looked at me with concern, and I couldn't blame him after what he had seen me do. I nodded, but he didn't seem to believe me.

"But dude your head, you've still got glass in it. You should really let Carlisle give you stitches." He said. I realized he wasn't concerned about what I had done, only if I was feeling physically alright. That scared me, because I knew what I had done was not right - and yet it didn't faze any of them. 

We eventually made it back to the house, and I prepared to tell my heritage all over again. I guess secrets didn't stay that way in a mysterious town like Forks.


	15. When it's all said and done

Percy

I was sitting on the dining room table, and Carlisle was removing glass from my head. I sat there tiredly, and listened to the sounds of the glass landing in the tray.

plink... plink... plink... 

My mind was swirling when Carlisle broke the silence. 

"Are you able to tell us what happened?" He asked quietly, directing the question at Bella and I. I looked over at her briefly before having my head moved back into place, and she decided to take the reins. 

"We were driving over for dinner, and something jumped out in the road, almost right in front of us. I turned hard to the right to avoid it, and we crashed in a ditch. Percy's head hit he passenger side window, and the car was smoking pretty badly. I started screaming because something reached in the car and pulled Percy out the window, only for something else to come and grab me." She explained.

"It was a Laistrygonian Giant, they're cannibals from the north. I haven't seen one since... wow I haven't seen one since we were in Canada." I reflected. I was earned some odd looks, but I let Bella keep explaining. 

"So we were dragged through a crowd of different monsters, and then brought to the middle. This woman came out, and I was only able to see her after I looked through the mist really hard. She had fire for hair and a donkey leg, and she kept changing between that and a beautiful woman."

"She was an Empousa," I supplied. "They disguise themselves as beautiful women to lure people in for them to eat. The first time I saw one was in grade eight, when Kelli and Tammi disguised themselves as cheerleaders and attacked me at high school orientation."

"So the Empousa, Kelli, kept talking to Percy. She tried to taunt him, and get him angry. When it didn't work she grabbed me, talking about hu-something and watching friends die. Percy then attacked her so I could get free, and I ran back to the Cullen's."

The vampires absorbed the information, and a heavy silence settled over the room. Ever the peace maker, Carlisle turned to me again. 

"Would you mind if I took a look at your back?" I took a moment to consider, not wanting them to see the scars on my back and chest. I resolved that all secrets needed to be out in the open right now, and that I was making more of a big deal that it actually was. 

I nodded and took off my jacket, removing the buttoned shirt along with it and my tank top. I felt cold and exposed, and tried to ignore the stares I felt on my skin. Carlisle just "hmm'ed" quietly and continued to work, removing more glass. 

plink... plink... plink... 

Jacob broke the silence again and took the attention away from my body, for which I was grateful. 

"So Bella mentioned a 'hu-something', what is that?" I sighed quietly before explaining. 

"It's called 'hubris' or a fatal flaw. Every demigod has one, it's a character trait that can get you killed, hence the name. It comes in all different forms; some have deadly pride, some have excessive grudges. Kelli was talking about my fatal flaw, personal loyalty."

"And what does that mean?" Seth asked. 

"It means that I would give up the world to save a friend, and put their life before mine without thinking. It's dangerous, and has put me in more difficult situations than I can count" I elaborated. Silence lapsed again, and Edward posed the million dollar question. 

"Percy... what are you?"

~ ~ ~

"Okay, so there's no easy way to say this." I took a deep breath. "I'm a demigod son of Poseidon. I'm half mortal, half Greek god. I have been trained to survive at a camp for kids like me since I was twelve, and have been on a bunch of quests since then. My best friends are a daughter of Athena and a Satyr, and my half brother is a cyclops." I said bluntly. Everyone was gobsmacked at the cyclops comment, and I was met with too many questions at once. 

"How is your brother a cyclops?"

"The greek gods are real?"

"What are quests?"

"What's the mist?"

I interrupted, cutting off the flow of questions. I sighed, and decided to enlist the help of a friend to explain. I hopped off the table and padded my way to the kitchen, against the wishes of the curious people in the other room. I poured a glass of water and returned to my seat, and cast mist into the air. I heard gasps behind me, and I spoke the magic words. 

"O Fleecy, do me a solid. Show Annabeth Chase, San Francisco."

I tossed in a golden drachma, and was soon greeted with a familiar face. She was reading in her room, curled up on her favourite chair. 

"Wise Girl!" I yelled. She jumped, dropping her book and taking a ready stance. She heaved a sigh of relief once she saw it was me, and relaxed back into her chair.

"Percy! How are you? Why are you bleeding? Are you okay? Whose behind you?" She asked all at once. I chuckled, responding with 'I'm good, monster attack, I'm good and Jacob'. She immediately wanted to know what happened, and I explained quickly. Once she was in the loop, she introduced herself to the room. 

"So for anyone who doesn't know, I'm Annabeth Chase - this one's designated ass saver," She snickered. 

"Oh I'm sorry, who saved who's ass from atlas?" I asked cheekily. Being the daughter of Athena, she was right back with a witty retort.

"Oh yeah? Well who saved you from a knife to your Achilles heel?"

"And that time with the sirens?"

"You and I both know how I saved you the throne room during the titan war."

"I'm sorry, who fell into Tartarus for you?" This earned some gasps from the peanut gallery.

"Who was smart enough to make you drink fire?"

"Who poisoned Akhlys for you?"

"We both know you couldn't have outsmarted Nyx without me."

"Okay, okay, enough. You win again Miss. Impeccable-memory-Chase." I chuckled. She beamed at me, and eventually all the questions regarding the greek world were answered. We talked for a little while longer, and she told embarrassing stories about our past quests. 

"And then, she turned him into a guinea pig!" The room exploded into laughter, and I turned a wonderful shade of red. 

"I thought we weren't going to bring that up again!" I whined. She only chuckled and shook her head. She listened to Seth tell a story for a little while, and was struck with an idea. 

"Did he ever tell you about the time they offered to make him a god?"

Heads whipped in my direction and I burrowed into the sweater Edward gave me. Peeking out, I noticed the stares hadn't ceased, and I whispered "What?"

"Dude, first of all, they offered to make you a god?! And second, why wouldn't you accept that?" Embry asked in an incredulous tone. 

"After we won the Titan war they offered me godhood for saving Olympus - even though Annabeth did just as much as me - and I turned it down because I couldn't bear the thought of leaving her behind." I explained simply. 

There were some 'awww's at that comment, and Annabeth gave me one of those secret smiles. It was one that told me we would be okay, that she was proud of us. I was more than inclined to agree. 

~ ~ ~

Eventually Annabeth had to go, and the night wound down from there. Edward drove us back home late that night, and I grabbed a cold slice of pizza from the fridge for dinner. I was walking up the stairs to bed when I was stopped by Bella.

"Percy, I just want you to know you don't have to be ashamed of your body. Normal people wouldn't get it, but we do. You went through a lot, and you didn't come out unscathed. And that's okay. Nothing you could put on your skin would make me stop loving you. Okay?"

I smiled, finding comfort in her words. Pulling her in for a hug, I nestled my head on her shoulder and whispered,

"Thank you."

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading this story, I hope you enjoyed it!


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